Reconstruction: A Success Or Failure

During the debate on whether or not reconstruction was a success or failure, people often repeated that the only success of reconstruction was it attempt at unifying the nation. This was heavily overrode by the explanations as to why Reconstruction was a failed shot at improving the United States. Reconstruction was a success in that it was an attempt to restore the United States as a unified nation given as shown by the drafting of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments as the South unwillingly pledged their loyalty to the United States government. Some black men were able to gain political power while another document, written by a former slave, illustrated the new life for African Americans and the education provided to them.

However, Reconstruction still failed in most measures and outweighs the minimal successes during the time. Lincoln’s goal was to essentially rid of the ongoing racism and restore public infrastructure while changing southern societal ideologies that lingered in the divided nation. As stated multiple times in the debate and in the Reconstruction:Success or Failure? article, radical republicans in legislation ultimately resulted in failed efforts to protect former slaves and former Confederate officials immediately gaining their power. Since Supreme Court was filled with conservative empowered white southerners, they were able to pass Black Codes, voter qualifications, and more rules in legislation which further reversed the rights that blacks had “gained” during Reconstruction. Given that we still have issues to white supremacy to this day and that significant figures, such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., are still recent regarding segregation and equality, it is clear that these issues were not solved in the 1800s. Furthermore, due to the little economic power that African Americans had gained, they began fighting wars of their own to gain the rights they deserved that was supposed to be achieved during the reconstruction period. This ultimately left many of Lincoln’s goals of reconstruction unaccomplished. Although the Reconstruction Era was a fail, it was a pivotal moment in American history which sparked civil rights movements. As Americans struggled for years to rebuild and mend the country after the Civil War, it raised important questions about freedom and democracy that still need improving to this day.